Fragment 92 Insight

I knew long before I would write this one that it would be unorthodox compared to the vast majority. For one, it’s the first fragment from an outsider’s point of view. Saber Alter is still Vigil and has no true connection to Chaldea other than being at the facility. With her mindset, that means she would have no loyalty nor obligation to do anything more than what’s necessary with them. That’s the point I wanted to drive home, but it came with a very distinct feeling.

AKA, she’s purposefully alienated herself and engages only enough to get by.

It might be a bit of a letdown for most, but that’s what it amounts to even years after her summoning. It was a window to shed more light on some of the stationed Major NPCs who she has a much closer connection to. It also offers some initial views as to why Saber Alter had come to accept this unit. Namely, they’re tough enough that they’ve earned her respect by modern human standards. They’re comrades that won’t hold ‘a tool’ back, and actually accept her cruel and vicious demeanor. It offered a good bed to partially ‘mellow out’ with time.

Thus, her loyalty to them is profound and obvious throughout the fragment. Her interest is absolutely nonexistent save for a few cases, which makes interactions with other servants and people little to none. It helped emphasize her isolating herself, but I still wanted some key interactions she would definitely have. So her puppy, who’d wormed his way into her heart, was one way to do it. A furry pet that attracts attention and barrels its way to its curiosity tends to be a forceful hand.

Her interactions with Camelot are especially profound in its nonexistence. It should say a lot she’d rather associate with Jeanne Alter than her former comrades and her counterpart. There’s plenty of room for speculation on what she truly feels about it and won’t acknowledge in her thoughts, but the main point is that she doesn’t want anything to do with them… yet.

As a small tangent about context clues and theory crafting, not everything gets pulled together instantly. Just keep your eyes peeled on what clues I’ve dropped, be careful of the red herrings to throw you off, and take note of what servants or allies have appeared in the Fate/Series that may have potential to shift the dynamic. It’s literally like spinning a growing web, so to speak.

With two new servants and a bunch more background involving the Vigil OCs, and some much needed bits for Gudao too, I hope it still wound up satisfying even if it probably wasn’t what many hoped to see. It’s merely what was, and more set up for what can be. It’s also partly an insight from a partial military perspective, though I dialed back on the military terms, acronyms, and other stuff so it wouldn’t be overwhelming.

The music played during the arena fight should need no introduction:

Teaser: Their wish was unreachable, but it had been far surpassed long ago. Never before had their collective cheered so happily. They were summoned an unloved wraith, doomed to be forgotten, yet they’d been gifted everything in this second chance. A loving mommy. A kind sister. Lots and lots of friends and caring people. The warmth of the womb was a distant memory, long forgotten in favor of the happy childhood they finally found… and it was only getting better! (Brace yourselves one of the most heartwarming and sugary fragments to date.)